Frozen Heart
by LightsCDark
Summary: "How do we melt that frozen heart?" She asked. He did not answer at first. "My heart will never fully melt, not one can melt my heart," he answered. She smiled friendly to him. "That my dear friend, I think you re wrong." 10th Walker Disclaimer: I Do not own LOTR or any of Tolkiens work of course :P
1. Stars

**Summary: **"How do we melt that frozen heart?" She asked. He did not answer at first. "My heart will never fully melt, not one can melt my heart," he answered. She smiled friendly to him. "That my dear friend, I think you´re wrong."

Tenth walker, a little Legomance.

**Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR or any of Tolkiens work.**

**Chapter 1**

Stars

A small Elven girl sneaked out of her room. Her golden hair lay loose behind her back. She walked barefoot to the room next to hers; she opened it quietly and slowly. She closed it again and jumped up on the bed and on the woman lying there. The woman with the golden blond hair lay on her stomach, her hands under the pillows. "_Sister! Sister!"_ The little girl said on Elven tongue. Her older sister only moaned and groaned.

"_Not now, lil sister,"_ she said into her pillow.

"_Élchalad, wake up! Let´s build a snowman! Come on!"_ Élchalad, the older sister, made no motion of going up.

"_The sun isn´t up yet, little star, go back to sleep,"_ Élchalad said.

"_No, no, come on!"_ Élchalad only lay there, not planning on going up. The younger sister sat on her back and sighed heavily. _"You´re not fun anymore. Just like mom and dad."_ Élchalad sighed. _"Please, please, sister, or you´re going to leave me."_

"_I´m not going to leave you, Calenel, what makes you say that?"_

"_I heard the Captain and They speak you´re joining the guard,"_ Calenel said sad. Élchalad turned and sat up, making her little sister fall on the floor. Élchalad looked worry down on her little sister. She lay on the ground and giggled. _"Do that again!"_ Élchalad laughed and got her up on the bed again.

"_What did you say, little star?" _Élchalad asked.

"_They say you´re worthy to join the guard."_ Élchalad smiled. _"But then you will leave me and I have no one to play with."_ Élchalad smiled to her. Calenel could not stay sad or angry when she smiled. She looked into the eyes of her older sister, the light blue eyes.

"_I will not leave you, you´re my sister, and you know how much I want to join the guard."_ Calenel smiled.

"_Can you take me to Red Dawn when you´re in the guard?"_ Calenel asked. Élchalad frowned.

"_No, it is a awful place, Calenel, you don´t want to go there. Don´t you ever ask never again, do you understand me?"_ Calenel nodded. Calenel jumped down from the bed and went towards the door. Élchalad looked at her, she hated her sister when she is like this, she knows she get her will by doing so. Slowly and sadly walking away. Élchalad touched the end of the bed, from her hand, ice came and it went under Calenel, making her fall.

She laughed and looked up at Élchalad and cheered. For they were going to have fun.

…

Élchalad looked out in the forest of their home, she had her little sister standing next to her. She was holding her hand. Élchalad had her warrior clothes on. Next to her again stood their father. They looked at as the Elves of the Stars walked through their home; they lightened down the torches when they saw who came. For they were carrying a dead body. Élchalad and her family did not say anything, or do anything, for she and her father could see it was her mother lying there.

Calenel on the other hand could not see her. She poked her older sister. _"Star, what is it?"_ Calenel asked. Élchalad did not have the heart to say it; she did not have the heart to look down on her younger sister. _"Élchalad? Please, tell me?"_

"_Little star, come here,"_ their father said. Calenel let go off Élchalad and went to her father´s side. He picked her up and Calenel saw her mother. Élchalad walked down to meet her kin and her dead mother. The Elves stopped before her. She saw what had killed her. The Elves had taken out the arrows.

Élchalad looked at the guards and saw the arrows that her mother was shot with. She knew those arrows, knew which race they belonged. For once she hoped it was Orc arrows, but they were not. They were too beautiful and elegant to come from Orc, Men or Dwarf. Élchalad turned to her father and saw her little sister in his arms, sobbing.

Her father saw the rage in her eyes; it filled her deep and strong. Élchalad turned her back and left. _"Take Calenel to her room,"_ her father said to a maiden and gave her to the maiden. Calenel took her arms around her maiden´s neck, crying into her neck.

Élchalad had been to her room, bringing with her weapons, a bow, quiver with arrows and her sword. She then left the forest. "Élchalad!" She heard her father´s voice. She stopped just outside the forest. She was about to step out to the Wild; the snowy landscape was before her. "Trying to kill them will not bring your mother back."

"I`m not going to try, I will kill them!" Élchalad said. Her father could not recognize his own daughter. The daughter that was so pure of stars, kind to everyone and everything. She had hoped that the war between the Elves of the Stars and the Elves in Imladris, Lothlorien and Greenwood would soon go away.

"Élchalad…" Her father whispered, standing right behind her. "Don´t go outside. Don´t go to them. I don´t doubt your fighting skill, for they are excellent, but I don´t doubt they will not kill you, for they will. And I have lost two stars. Don´t let Calenel be alone." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "What am I going to say to Them? They will not like your decision. You were going to be accepted to the Guard, you would be a fine Captain."

"Nothing of that matters now without mother, take care of little star," Élchalad said and left.

"I will take care of her," the father said, looking at the back of his daughter. "Let the stars shine upon you, daughter, let them guide you, aid you, help you in any way. Let them help you see reason of this madness." He knew her daughter was hearing him, for they had great hearing.

xXx

Élchalad sat on the snow, with her knees up to under her chin. She was crying. She was crying for the loss of her mother. She knew her father had right, but she wanted to kill them all. She heard swords clash, arrows being fired. She wiped away her tears and stood up. She took one arrow on her bow and she followed the noise.

She ended up on a cliff, and down, very close to the Red River, she saw Orcs, Elves and Men fighting. Of course, she knew the different between Men and Dunedains, and these were Dunedains. Rangers from the North. She wondered what on earth they were doing so close to her land. Everyone knew how dangerous this land was. Of course, she thought of Orcs who showed up every once in a while.

Élchalad looked at the Elves, it was three Elves, only three. Two of them looked a like; they were also from the same city, but the third. He was different. While the two others had black hair, the third had golden long hair. She figured the Orcs must have chased them up north, hoping they will fall into one of the many cliffs.

Élchalad aimed, aimed at the Orcs, but her direction changed to one of the Elves. The one with the golden hair. But she saw he was going backwards towards the cliff that went down to the Red River. She lowered her bow and waited. The Elf managed to kill the Orcs, but he was still not on safe grounds. Élchalad saw the snow under him could not hold him up even he was an Elf. Élchalad smiled when he saw the Elf fall, holding on to the edge.

One of the other Elves called out. Élchalad saw that he was calling for, one of the Dunedains. The Dunedain turned to the cliff and saw the golden Elf holding on to the edge.

The Dunedain ran. Élchalad fired one arrow; she did not aim at the Dunedain or the Elf. But as she hoped, the Elf saw the arrow and moved away from it. It is then he fell, just as she wanted to. The golden blond Elf fell down in the ice-cold river, where razor sharp rocks waited for him.

The Dunedain looked up at her. Élchalad turned and walked deeper into her own land.

Élchalad walked for two hours when she saw something near the Red River. She approached what it was and saw the golden haired Elf. He lay on his side, but she still could not see his face. He had a quiver on his back, but no arrows. She saw his two blades closer to the river. _How did he get here if he´s dead?_ She thought.

She turned him on his back and he took a deep breath. She looked shocked that he was still alive. The Elf did not wake up for he was unconscious. He had a small wound on his forehead, few cuts from the rocks, but they were small and no threat. Over his right knee was an ugly wound.

Poison.

Élchalad looked at his clothes and was even more surprised. He was from Greenwood the Great, the big Elven forest. She looked at his face and took away a hair lock from it. He was handsome. She had to admit that. She had never felt anything for her own kin, or any other races, she never thought of they being handsome, but this one was different.

She shook her head, shook her thought out of herself. She could not think like this, she hated him and she hated his race. For Elves of the Stars thought they were their own race, different form the other Elves of Middle-earth.

Élchalad went near his head, took her hands under his arms to carry him up. To carry him down the river so he could drown there. No one entered this land and survived. She stopped, barely taken one step. She thought of this. No one enters this land and lives. No one… Then how come this Elf has lived? Everyone dies in the river. It haven´t been a single person, Orc or animal that have survived the river.

She shook her thoughts away, the thoughts of maybe saving him. She dragged him further down to the river. That is when she saw one of his arrows. She picked it up and saw it was different from the once that shot her mother, just seven days ago. She looked at the Red River. Even it was day; she saw the stars reflect in it. It was a sign and she knew that.

Élchalad looked around, she was far away from her forest, far away from civilisation. She then looked back at the Elf. "Bloody stars…" She mumbled. She closed her eyes. "Forgive me, I did not mean that," she said. She looked up at the sky and then back at the river. It was still stars reflecting in the river. "You better not get me killed."

…

Legolas moaned and slowly opened his eyes. He found out he was sitting, but his right leg pained a lot. He was dizzy by the wound on his forehead. He also found out before he opened his eyes, he was tied up. His arms went around a small tree. He also had a rope around his shoulders, tied up three times.

Legolas looked at his right leg and saw it was bandaged. He then looked around. He saw he was in some sort of a cabin, a very small one. It only had one room and he was sitting in the end of it. It was only one door here, and through the wooden in all four walls, he could see light, the sunshine. He saw his weapons, his bow and swords near the door. It was a small table here, but no chair. On the table lay herbs and daggers.

The Elven Prince then saw a woman sitting near the table. She sat on her knees. The table was small enough. The woman had long golden hair. She looked kind and beautiful. She had light blue eyes, she was dressed for the winter with white clothes on, but he could see she had green clothes under.

"Where am I?" Legolas asked with a sore throat. The woman looked at him, he then figured she was an elf. She did not answer, only continued making medicine. "Who are you?" She still did not answer.

She looked down on the bowl she made the medicine and saw the spoon slowly became to ice. She dropped the bowl and swore under her breath. She did not touch it again; she went over to Legolas and opened up the bandage again.

"What are you doing?" Legolas asked her.

"Oh please, just shut up," Élchalad said. "You Elves are never happy when someone saves your life, especially when a woman does it."

"At least you can speak," the Elf Prince said.

"What is your name?" She asked her as she checked his wound. She then took up a bowl that was ready next to Legolas. "Drink this," she said and took the bowl close to his lips. He turned away. "Fine, let the poison sink in. You will be in pain." Legolas looked at her, in her light blue eyes. She broke away, not wanting him to look in hers. Legolas opened his mouth a little and drunk some of the medicine.

"What is your name?" She asked again.

"Tell me yours and I will tell you mine," he said. She stood up and walked over to the table again. When she kneeled down to the table again, he saw she was in pain. Legolas saw her arrows and could not believe it. "First you´re trying to kill me, then you´re saving me." She looked at him. "May I ask why I´m not dead."

"I—I tried to drown you, yes," she said. "How come you survived the river?" She asked him.

"I don´t know," he said. "When I hit the icy water, I blacked out." She thought of this and then found out the only reason that he survived. He blacked out; he did not fought against the river. "Where am I?"

"You should know where you are when you travel," she said. She stood up and took off the layers of clothing. She had three layers of clothing; she did not take off the last one. Legolas had right, she had green clothes under the white. She had green warrior clothes; very similar to the females in his forest wears. She took her tunic a little up to reveal a bandage on her side. It was bloody. She changed it and took some cream on the wound.

Legolas looked at her skin and he almost lost his jaw. She had markings on her skin, it was like tattoos, but the ink was not black, it was almost white. "You´re one of Them," Legolas said. "The Elves that serves the Dark Lord."


	2. Elves of the Stars

**This story I´ve had for quite some time on my mac, and I will not abandon it, as I see I got few readers already **

**Thank you so much everyone for they who read, follow, favourite and review already! **

**Review:  
LinwelR: Thank you for your review! Serves the Dark Lord? Well… Im not going to say anything :P **

**Chapter 2**

Elves of the Stars

…

Élchalad grow angry, rage filled her eyes. She dropped what she had in her hands, reached for her sword and placed it on Legolas´ neck. She looked at him deadly. "If you ever say Servants of the Dark Lord ever again, I will slip your throat." Legolas decided then to never mention it again, not for a while at least. "You´re my prisoner and you will never mentioned the name of the Dark Lord in front of me." She made a very small cut and she looked at as one blood drop on his skin, like if she was paralyzed. She then pulled away.

"Very well, forgive me," he said.

"You´re not forgiven," she said and went back to the table. She took on her layers of clothes again. "But then again, wood-elves are deadly but very stupid, so I assume I can forgive you for that. You would not know the truth about my race, about the Elves of the Stars," she said with pride.

"That is what you call yourselves?" Legolas asked. "Elves of the Stars. Every Elves are of the Stars." She smiled.

"No, Elf. You´re not. You don´t see the stars as we do, the sign of the stars gives us in daylight and moonlight." She looked up at the ceiling as she saw the stars before her eyes. Legolas looked at her, he hated to admit it, but she was very beautiful. She turned her look down and looked at him hateful.

"We´re not Servants of Sauron, we never have been. But yet, you might say so because of the actions of two powerful Elves," she said to him.

"And who are the two Elves?" Legolas asked. "If I may ask?"

"They are our Lord and Lady, our guidance, they read the stars better than any Elf can do, better than your King, Lord or Lady can do," she said. When she talked about Them, she did not look at him hatefully. "For They have regret Their actions, even They had no choice. The Dark Lord Sauron had Them under his spell." She took steps closer to him. "But that is over two thousand years ago. The stars have forgiven them."

Élchalad grabbed her weapons and went for the door. "Where are you going?" Legolas asked. She stopped in the doorway.

"To see if your friends are close, if they are… I will kill them," she said. Legolas chuckled.

"You will not," he said. Élchalad looked at him. "You did not kill me, you don´t have a heart to kill other creatures than Orcs."

"I got a sign, the sign told me to not drown you in the river, to not kill you," she said. "If I´m given the same sign for your friends, I will let them be. If I´m not, I will kill them. We don´t defy the signs given to us, Elf. If your friends are smarter than you, they have left this land for good."

Legolas waited for half an hour, to make sure she was really away. Legolas looked around in the cabin. He saw his weapons and hers. She had only brought with her, bow, arrows and a sword. It was still knives here. He tried to reach for one of them, but the pain in his leg hurts too much. He then heard footsteps outside and it was more of them. Had she captured his friends? He then heard Elven tongue be spoken.

"_Kill him, or I will. He has no right to enter our lands."_ It was a male Elf.

"_I got a sign! Do you want me to turn away from it?"_ Élchalad asked. _"Trust me on this, Captain. I know what I´m doing."_ It went few minutes before they said anything. _"I will kill him by the end unless something else happens. First I want answers, answers of my mother´s death."_

"_Élchalad, don´t do this."_

Élchalad… Legolas had found her name.

"_What about your sister? She needs you. She wonders where you are. And your father… He´s heartbroken, to afraid to think about what may happen to you,"_ the male Elf said.

"_I will be fine, trust me."_

"_Meet me in Red Dawn in four weeks, if you´re not there. I´m telling your family you are dead, for you will be."_ It was not said anything else. Legolas heard footsteps grow in the distance, and then the door opened and Élchalad stepped in.

"You did not find my friends," Legolas said.

"They were not by the dead Orcs you were killing," she said. "They have left our lands."

"So it means I´m only half an hour from the river," Legolas said. Élchalad smiled at his stupidity.

"The Red River goes almost through our land, it is a two weeks walk," she said. "We are three days from where I found you, three days from where your friends abandon you. You are far in our land, you won´t make it out here alive."

…

Legolas had not mentioned her name, or her mother. He knew she was dead, it would be too painful for her, he knew that, for he has also lost his mother for many years ago. He knew what it was like. He had found out why she was called starlight, he saw it in her eyes. They were like starlight.

"What is your name?" Élchalad asked him. Legolas did not answer. She had kneeled down next to him, checking his wounds. "I know you have a title, you´re royal, noble or whatever." He looked at her. "And by the look of that, you´re surprised I know. You think your friends will find you, or your kin will go to war to mine for having you."

"And they will," Legolas said.

"But the thing is, who is stupid enough to go so close to our lands?" She stopped and looked at him. "Well of course the wood-elves. But I noticed the other two Elves you were with, they are not from Greenwood," she said. "I could say you´re the Prince of Greenwood, son of King Thranduil, and that he is very stupid, I mean the Prince of course. But then again, the King is also very stupid."

Élchalad saw Legolas eyes grow angry. "I mean," she continued. "He couldn´t even defend his old man, the old fool of a King when he died before he reached Mordor, so it does comes that he´s stu-"

"Don´t call him that!" Legolas snapped at her, raising his voice. "Don´t call my f-" He stopped. Élchalad smiled.

"Or what, Prince Legolas son of King Thranduil?" She stood up. "You´re easy to fool." She went behind him, checking the rope. He had not tried tying it up, as if he ever could. She was checking if he had got wounds by the rope.

"So now you know my name, why don´t you kill me, Élchalad?" She was surprised he knew hers. "Yes, I know your name too. I heard you talking with another Elf. What is it that you want to know about your mother´s death?" He asked her. Élchalad stood up and walked away from him. "What happened to her?"

"It is none of your business, Elf!" She said sharp.

"It is when you´re going to ask me about it. I´ve also lost a mother, she died from me and my father," Legolas said. "I know what it´s like." She turned to him. "I see it in your eyes. You want to kill everyone and everything, I wanted that too."

"Yeah? What happened to your mother?" She asked.

"She died," he said. "She was killed trying to defend her land." It went silence between them.

"If you think telling me about your mother´s dead I will tell about my mother, you´re wrong." She grabbed her sword and left the cabin.

…

Élchalad returned the day after. Legolas had his head bowed. "Are you going to starve me to death?" He asked.

"Maybe," she said. She sat down against the wall. She did not look at him. "I had to calm my nerves." Legolas made a small smile. "How long were you here with your friends?" She asked. "And tell me the truth, it won´t hurt doing that."

"One day," he answered. He looked up at her. She could see it on him he haven´t eaten much, not before the battle and she haven´t given him anything except for medicine. "We were forced to flee more north. We were attacked by a pretty large group of Orcs. We never meant to come here. I´ve never been here before, or anywhere close, but my Elven friends have, and the Dunedains."

She nodded at his answer. She stood up, grabbed a knife and a green apple. She sat down next to him, with her legs in cross. Legolas looked at the knife. She cut up the apple and began feeding the Prince.

"What was it about my answer that I deserve food?" Legolas asked.

"My mother were killed by Elven arrows," Élchalad said. "That is eleven days ago, if what you said is true, you were never anywhere near. Or your friends." She gave him some water and more food.

"Elven arrows?" He asked and she nodded. "Was she a warrior?"

"We all can fight," she answered. She hesitated so say any more, but it could not hurt anyone by doing so. "She was going to sail, leave Middle-earth for good. We can also do that. Lord Círdan is giving us ships so we can leave when the sea is calling."

"I did not know that," Legolas said. "Please continue."

"Well, she ended up dead as she crossed the borders of our land, by you Elves."

"Now you know I did not kill her, neither my friends. So tell me, what will you do to me?" The Elf Prince asked. She looked at him, into his eyes.

"I do not know yet, we´ll see what the stars will say."

"What do you want?" She stood up and walked away from him.

"To be honest, I want you all Elves dead."

…

Élchalad was standing near the door, looking out in the snowy landscape. Legolas looked at her, she was looking at something outside. She was tightening her hold on her sword. "What do you see?" Legolas asked. Élchalad sighed.

"Can you never stop asking questions?" She asked him. "Just be quiet, Orcs have spotted the cabin." She took her quiver on her back, bow in hand and pulled up her sword. She stopped in the doorway. She walked over to Legolas, pulling up her knife and she cut off the ropes, setting him free. "Do as you wish," she said and walked out.

Legolas sat there, completely shocked. He did not think at all she will set him free even if they were under attack. Legolas stood up shakily. His wounds were healed but he had not walked on days. He grabbed his swords and walked out of the door.

Far from him he saw Élchalad aiming at the Orcs that were running towards her. They were many; she will not take them all. Legolas looked around. This was a beautiful land, the sun was high up in the sky. He saw he was far in her land; he could not see anything but snow. And she was right; he would not get out of here alive.

Élchalad fired, killing one Orc, she fired again, killing the second. Legolas walked over to her, standing next to her. "What are you doing?" She asked him. "Did I not tell you to do as you wish?"

"I am doing what I want," Legolas said. "Fighting by your side, for I know you won´t survive this attack without me."

"Why would you care if I survive or not?" She asked and fired another arrow. "You were my prisoner." Legolas did not answer the question. Élchalad looked away from the Orcs and on Legolas, trying to understand him. She fired another arrow and took forth her sword to face the Orcs.

Élchalad right away cut one head off, blocking the sword to another and then stabbed him. She turned, slashing with her sword, killing the Orcs.

One Orc pushed her, she fell on her back, looking up at the Orc and seeing an Elven blade got through his belly. Legolas stood behind the Orc. Élchalad looked around and saw the Orcs dead already. She looked up at him. Legolas reached down his hand to her. She looked at the hand and then up at him. She got up without his help.

"Thank you would be nice," Legolas said.

"I didn´t need your help, Elf." Élchalad said. "I was fine by my own." Legolas smiled. She looked at him, hated his smile. Even though it was the beautiful smile she had ever seen. She hated the thought of it. She had fallen in love with a wood-elf.

"I just saved your life, but then again, you´re one of Them. What else will I expect?" Élchalad looked down on her sword that was by her feet. "It´s all right, you can pick it up. I won´t hurt you, and I know you won´t hurt me."

Élchalad slowly picked up her sword. "Fine, just go. Leave!" She yelled at him. "Get out of here! And never return!" She walked back to the cabin. "If you can find your way back," she whispered.

Legolas followed her in. "I see now I don´t know the way back, I believe what you said about this land. No matter where I go, there is a cliff and a thin layer of snow and I´m lying there dead."

"And what are you planning to do?" She asked him. She was starting to pack up everything.

"Help me," he begged. "Just till I know I´ll be fine, or you know I´ll be fine." She had stopped packing. "If you do help me, I will not tell my father of this, or anyone. I will say I needed to recover before I begin the walk home, I will tell that to my friends." Élchalad sighed and closed her eyes. "We´ll go separate ways and I will never return."

She looked at him, he meant it, he said the truth. She then nodded. "Very well, help me pack the medicine. I will help you gather some supplies till your return journey, if you do something for me." Legolas looked at her curious.

"What is it that I can do or give that you want?" He asked.

"Take me to Lord Círdan," she said. Legolas furrowed his brows.

"Excuse me?"

"I want to leave Middle-earth."


	3. Crystals

**Chapter 3**

Crystals

….

"Why do you want to leave Middle-earth?" Legolas asked her. She sighed, but remained silent. "I don´t believe you´ve seen many fights, not wars at least. You´re young, so why do you want to leave your sister and father?" Fast she pulled her knife and laid it on his neck.

"Do you wood-elf never stop questioning?" She asked. She sighed. "Let´s just walk in silence, I enjoy the silence, so we´ll walk in silence, Elf!" She walked first. Legolas smiled for himself.

…

Legolas looked at Élchalad as she slept peacefully across the fire between them. It had grown colder for each hour, Élchalad did not freeze that easily, but it was worse with Legolas. Even he tried not to show it.

He took the blanket closely around him and looked up at the stars. They were so clear here; it felt like he was under another sky than home.

The day after they continued to walk. Élchalad walked first, Legolas was behind her. "How long are you going to stare at me, Elf?" She asked him. Legolas did not answer. She stopped, and so did he. Legolas looked down, it went almost straight down. "Oh no…" She whispered. She slide down the snowy hill, Legolas followed her close behind.

"Élchalad?" Legolas called after her. They got to the bottom; tall pointy spikes were over them. Élchalad ran between them and then Legolas saw it. He saw her kin, the Elves of the Stars as they called themselves. Five of them were lying dead there with three Orcs.

Élchalad checked every one of them. They had not been here for long. "I´m sorry for your loss, Élchalad," Legolas said. "Did you know them well?" She did not answer. She looked through their pockets, looking at everything they had. Legolas kneeled down next to her as she desperately searched for something. "Élchalad? What is it?" He asked kindly.

She looked at him, into his eyes. "Nothing," she answered and stood up. Legolas did so to and grabbed her arm. "It is nothing."

"It is something," he said. "Tell me, what is it?" He asked again.

"It is something every Elf of the Stars have," she said to them. "Something that can tell the direction to my people. It is gone from their bodies."

"Do you think the Orcs know how to use them?" He asked her.

"If they are smart enough, yes," she said. "That is how the Orcs that attacked us got so far into the land. But I did not search through their belongings." They looked at each other. "I will help you first till tomorrow, then I must be on my own way. I have to go back to the Orcs, to see if I can find the stones. If not all five of them are there, then I must warn my people."

Legolas nodded. "We go right away," he said.

"What? No, it is not necessary," she said. "If my people find you, I am not sure what they will do to you. As we haven´t had a visitor for thousands of years, and of all the Elven realms. We don´t trust wood-elves." Legolas was already on the way up; he stopped and turned to her.

"If they do find me, then they do. There is nothing you need to do about it. I´ve saved your life, and you have saved mine. You saved me from drowning, poison and get lost in your land." He smiled to her. "It is at least something I can do." She smiled back and nodded.

"All right, but it is this way," she said and pointed the other direction. She went first to the Elves, having them laid properly, with their hands together on their chests. Legolas then helped her move the Orcs away; she then lit a fire and burned the Orcs.

"What about your kin?" Legolas asked, as Élchalad was about to leave. "You´re not going to bury them?"

"No, let them look up the stars as the snow will bury them," she said. Legolas was about to ask about the snow, until he saw one snowflake before his eyes and more was coming. He looked up at the sky and then back at her. It looked like her eyes were colder, bluer. She turned fast around and began walking.

…

The fire went out by the cold storm that went through the snowy land. Élchalad and Legolas had sought cover in a forest. They both foresaw the storm coming and had to walk three hours off track to get to a forest.

"How come you don´t freeze?" Legolas asked her. She was looking at the burned out fire, across from him. He had all the blankets around him up to his ears.

"I´m used to the cold," she answered. Legolas chuckled.

"No Elf can be used to this cold," he said. Élchalad did not answer to that. She looked at him, he was looking at her. She saw how cold he was; he would not survive the night. She stood up and sat down next to him. "What are you doing?" He asked as she took off the most of her clothes. She cuddled up within his blankets, holding around him, lifting his shirt up so she could place her hands under it.

"You´re ice-cold," she said. "You need to get some heat in you, or you will die within few hours." Legolas took his arms around her. "Just don´t tell anyone."

"Thank you." She barely smiled by it.

Élchalad woke up having the morning sun shining on her. She looked at it as it shone through the forest; it was so beautiful, with the mist and everything.

She was so lost in thought she forgot how close she was too Legolas. She looked at him and saw how he looked, he was so pale and he had frost on him. She pulled him away, he did not wake up. "Legolas?" He did not response. "Oh no, what have I done?"

…

Legolas slowly woke up and moved his muscles. They were stiff and cold; it felt like he has been frozen for a long time. He looked down at himself. He was lying on the back with Élchalad in his arms. He did not have any shirt on, she didn´t have any on either, but they were both covered with all the clothing they had.

A fire was burning next to him. The sun was up. Legolas looked down at Élchalad again and couldn´t help but smile. He took away one of her golden hair-locks from her face, she then woke up.

She looked up at Legolas; she wanted to smile, but frowned instead. "I-I´m sorry, Elf," she said. "I needed to do something, you were all frozen."

"It´s no need to apologize, Élchalad. It is understandable, I wouldn´t have done the same, undressing you…" he said. Élchalad smiled.

"How are you feeling?" She asked. "Move your muscles, can you move them all?" He did not answer at first, he moved the muscles, he then nodded. "Good." She got her tunic and took it before her and sat up.

Legolas could see her back and saw all the markings. They were beautiful. "What are those?" He asked. "The markings?"

"I thought you said you knew," she said.

"I´m sorry, please forgive me, my lady. I did not mean to look," he said and turned on his side, his back to her to let her dress. She took on her tunic and stood up.

"They are not markings from the Dark Lord," she said to him. "They are markings from the Stars. They who are our Lord and Lady, They who were captured by Sauron… They did not get markings like I have. They do have paler skin, but that is just it." She turned to him. "Us Elves have coloured our skins like this, it is not permanent. Like in feasts or when we´re going out in fights, just to show we are Elves of the Stars."

Legolas looked at her as she talked. "But I was born with mine, the only Elf. Even my sister don´t have or my father or mother," she told him.

"You´re touched by the stars," Legolas said. She was surprised he would say that. Legolas stood up and got a good look around. The mist was still there. "Your land is very beautiful, Lady Élchalad." She smiled.

"Thank you, E- Prince Legolas."

…

Legolas looked at the traces of where Élchalad had left. She was going to scout the area, to check for any Orcs. He could see her there in the distance, at the exit of the forest, in the mist. She had been circling this small forest for hours now. He had no idea what she was doing.

The Elven Prince looked at her when she returned. "We´re safe now. We stay here till you get better," she said to him. She sat down next to him. "How are you? Are you feeling all well?"

"You don´t need to worry about me."

"I`m not," she said quickly. "I don´t want you to slow us down." Legolas smiled. "Cut the smile off would you?" It went silence, which they both enjoyed. "How is it in Greenwood?" She asked him. "What is it looking like?"

"Greener," he said and looked at her. She smiled. "Do you ever get summer here?" She shook her head. "Never?"

"No, sometimes we do go south just to enjoy it. The snow doesn´t reach our home forest, but the air is still cold," she told him. "Tell me more of it." He could tell she really wanted to know about his home.

"Nothing is like it, my home. Every place has its beauty, but Greenwood." Legolas could imagine it before his eyes.

"It is home," she said. Legolas nodded, agreeing to that.

"If your people needs to be warned, will you still take the ship?" He asked her.

"Depends what will happen next. If it´s needed, I will defend my home," she told him. "The truth is that I don´t know what I will do, what I want. I said I wanted to take the ship was because of my mother. I miss her. Though I do know whatever I do will not bring her back."

Legolas took her hand and squeezed it. They both smiled to each other before they both stared back at the fire.

Legolas woke up early and looked up at the stars before they will let the sun shine on the earth. He looked over at Élchalad. She was sleeping not far from him; she had her face to him. He looked at her hand that suddenly got paler; he then saw the ground underneath it turn slowly to ice.

Élchalad woke up and looked at her hand. She moved it and all the ice disappeared. She looked up at Legolas; he had seen it, for he now looked up at the stars. She turned on her back and looked up.

"Beautiful, is it not?" She asked him. Legolas did not answer. "The stars I mean."

"Yes, they are," he replied. "What are you?" He finally asked.

"An Elf of the Stars," she answered simply.

"What else?" She turned over to him.

"Are you afraid?" She asked him. He looked at her.

"No, but I am curious." Élchalad let out a sigh. "Does any of your kin…" She shook her head.

"Just me, not even my mother or father," she answered. "I´m just… Not normal." Legolas smiled. He reached his hand to her and took her hand.

"No one is perfect, Élchalad," he said to her. "You´re special." Élchalad frowned, looking deadly and icy on him. It was not he said, but she felt something. She sat up and almost panicked. "Élchalad?"

"We got to go!" She said and stood up to begin getting better dressed and packed. Legolas helped her.

"Why? What is it?" Legolas asked her.

"My Elves are north of here, just outside of the ice wall," she said to him and they went south. In the opposite direction of the Elves.

"Ice wall?" Legolas asked. He stopped when he saw the wall of ice. It went higher than him. "You made this?" He asked her. She looked at him guilty. "It´s amazing." He touched it. Élchalad looked at him shocked. Did he say it was amazing? She thought of this like a curse. She then turned to the wall, placed a hand on it and then it melted.

"Come on," she said and they ran out of the forest.

…

Élchalad ran first and kneeled down next to the dead Orcs by the cabin. It had been snowing, but they weren´t fully covered by it yet. Élchalad hated it, even Legolas, to search what they had. "What does it look like?" Legolas asked her.

"A crystal, you will know it when you find it," she said. "Hardly think that Orcs have any Elven made." In one of the pockets, she found a small crystal that fit right in her hand.

"Found one," Legolas said. She nodded when she saw the crystal.

"That´s two out of five." They searched through everything; Élchalad went through what Legolas had done. "It´s missing three crystals," she said hysterical. She throws her arms up in the air. "Three crystals!" She began pacing back and forth. Legolas grabbed her, making her stand and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"We´re going to find them, don´t worry," he said.

"Well I am worrying!" She yelled at him. She took one of the crystals up in the air. "If you see through it, you can see the stars and that is the right way to get through our land." Legolas took the crystal and looked in it, he did not see any stars. But when he faced west, he saw the stars.

"Then you will be leaving," Legolas said. She looked back at him. She took his hand just to get the crystal.

"I know a shortcut, I will take you there and then you have to be on your way." He nodded.

xXx

**Thank you they who have review, read and favourite this story. I really appreciate and you´re all getting a cookie from me! **


	4. The Shortcut

**Chapter 4**

The shortcut

…

"LEGOLAS!" Élchalad screamed, panic rose in her chest when she looked out in the cliff. "You stupid Elf!" She screamed down when she saw him, completely fine, looking up at her and laughing.

"You said you didn´t worry about me!" He yelled back at her with a smile on his face.

"Be quiet! You´ll distract every evil creature!" She yelled back.

"Ha! Says you!" She growled. "Come on, it´s quite safe. It´s like falling on a pillow." Élchalad looked around and saw all the usual sharp edges that could kill you slowly.

"I´m going to kill this Elf one day," she whispered and then let herself fall. She rolled down, in the most inelegant way of a woman. Legolas had to laugh seeing her. She ended up on her butt, with her eyes still shut. "Shut up, Elf!" She snapped at him, making a snowball and hit him in his neck.

"Ow!" He said. She knew it didn´t hurt. He bent down to make a snowball. Élchalad placed her hand on the snow and the ice reached out towards Legolas. He did not notice the ice until it was too late and he slipped right on his back. "Now that did hurt." Élchalad laughed. "And that was not fair."

"Oh really?" Élchalad laughed. She stood up and looked up before them. Legolas had fallen through the snow, finding a cave under. She frowned. "I´ve been going this way multiple times, with friends too, nothing like this has ever happened." She turned to Legolas. "Unless you wood-elves weight more." She joked.

"Ha, ha," he said with sarcasm. "Where are we?" Élchalad looked around, it was six tunnels leaving away from where they were. But where they stood had shocked Élchalad with surprise. The walls were made of ice, and the light that came from the hole above made different colours to it.

It was few tall ice spikes here, which in Élchalad eyes, only made it beautiful. "I have not a slightest idea," she said. "Never been here before." Legolas looked into the tunnels, it was pitch black, even for Elven eyes. Élchalad kneeled down and let her hands touch the little snow that was here, the rest was covered with ice, not even earth.

Ice came from underneath her hands and it went to every direction of the tunnels. She had her eyes closed. Legolas thought he saw the ice shine brighter, almost like a light. After few minutes, Élchalad opened her eyes.

"It´s nothing in there for miles, though I do think that leads the way out," she said and pointed one way.

"You think?" Legolas asked. She looked at him, placed her hands on her hips.

"Yes, I think. Did I not mention that I don´t know where we are, and I´ve never been here before?" She asked him. Legolas sighed.

"Forgive me," he said. Élchalad rolled her eyes.

"Wood-elves and their polite talk," she mumbled. Legolas smiled by it. He followed her through the tunnel she thought would lead them out. For Legolas he thought it only led them further in, but he did not question her. He didn´t actually know the way out better.

After hours of walking they had approached to a slighter bigger tunnel, almost the same as they jumped into at first. They looked up and could barely see the light through the ice. Though it was getting darker in here.

"I think we should hurry up," Legolas said. "I don´t like this place." He met Élchalad glare. "No offence, but I like myself up there better."

"Same here, it is something wrong about this place." They continued to walk faster, until they both stopped. They heard noises in the dark. Hissing noises.

Orcs.

"We are lost! Again!" One Orc said. "I thought you said this will lead directly to the filths kingdom!"

"It does!" One Orc said. "Trust me, you idiot, I know where we´re going!" Everything went quiet. "Do you smell that boys, Elves!" Élchalad and Legolas looked at each other worried before they ran the way they came from quietly. Élchalad had blocked the tunnel with a thick ice, not having the risk to let the Orcs follow them.

"Will the ice hold?" Legolas asked when they came back to the start.

"Yes, don´t worry about that," she answered. She looked at the other tunnels; she then looked up at the hole they came from. "How much food do we have left?" Legolas checked the sack he had been carrying.

"Not much," he said. "How far are we from where you will leave me?" He asked her.

"Three days," she answered. "If we can get out of here." They tried another tunnel, and ended up seeing Orcs again, so they walked back. Élchalad yet again blocked the tunnel with ice. They tried every single tunnel, and all of them were filled with Orcs.

"Now what?" Élchalad asked as they returned once more.

"It´s your land," Legolas said. She looked at him with stupidity.

"Really? Ah, stupid Elf," she whispered and went to one wall that did not have a tunnel on. She sat down against it. Legolas watching her as she sat down, she was nervous and afraid. He saw it easily. He sat down next to her.

"The Orcs will die if they reach your forest," he said to her. She did not answer to it, not look at him either. "For thousands of years you´ve lived up here in the north. Orcs won´t kill you and your kin."

"You don´t know that," she finally said. "If I only can warn them, I might spare the lives. They will get the time to set up defences."

"Let´s go directly to them." She looked at him as if he was insane. "I mean, I´ll come with you. I don´t care what they will do to me."

"You´re stupid, you know that right?"

"I did hear a woman say it," he said. She rolled her eyes again. "A beautiful woman at least."

"I hate you," she whispered. Legolas chuckled. "After everything I did, you could have killed me. I´m not letting you come closer to my people, they will know you´re from Greenwood."

"It will be worth it, Élchalad. We cannot fall into the darkness, for it feels like it grows every day."

"It does," she said. "We see it every day." She rested her head on his shoulder. "Even after his defeat, the Orcs still increasing. As if he never died." Legolas saw it frightened her speaking of this, of Sauron; even it did not look like it when he was her prisoner. Legolas hesitated at first, but he touched her cheek. She took his hand, keeping it close.

"We see it in Them," she continued. "They can see the darkness is growing, and so can we. Even the stars tell us that."

"For helping me, I´m not going to let anything hurt you," he said. She looked up at him. "You will not fall into the darkness, neither your people."

"You´re not an bad Elf after all," she said. They both smiled, their lips coming closer and then they kissed.

…

Legolas took a deep breath of the free air out in the sun. They had been stuck in the tunnel for two days, not that they actually mind it being there, for they didn´t. They wanted to stay their forever, only the two of them. But they were already low on supplies entering it and now it was empty.

Legolas helped Élchalad up and they both looked around. Élchalad had no problem being down there, it was worse for Legolas. He took his arm around her, taking her closer to him. She looked up at him and smiled.

After they had found supplies in this winter morning, they left for south. Through dangerous cliffs, thin ice that could break beneath them and sometimes through an Orc pack that ended up dead in the snow.

Élchalad stopped and looked ahead. Legolas saw what she looked at. The green lands. "Over the hill there should be a village, and from there you can go south to Imladris," she said to him. She did not like saying it. "I suggest you to not go directly to east."

"I know, those paths are not safe," Legolas said. She turned to him.

"Promise me you´ll be fine, promise me you don´t go after me." Legolas did not answer to it. "Please, Legolas. You cannot come back to find me." Legolas looked around and saw a great oaken tree. He walked under it, bringing Élchalad with him.

"In two months," he said. "I´ll be standing under here, waiting for you. I don´t want to leave and never see you again." She smiled to him.

"Two months, all right," she answered. "I´ll be here." She went in her pocket and took up the crystal, placing it in his hand. "Have this, a remember of me. Don´t forget me."

"I could never do that," he said and kissed her. They did not want to break apart, but when they did, Legolas pulled up a knife. "Keep this."

"I—"

"Keep it," he said. She took the knife. It was beautiful. "Come with me when you return, to Greenwood. Stay with me."

"Your father won´t allow it because of who I am, where I come from." He touched her cheek.

"He will, for he wants me to be happy." She smiled and kissed his lips.

"Very well," she finally said. "Go." Legolas kissed her one more time and he went off. Legolas kept walking back as he left her. Élchalad stood there, looking at his disappearing form.

"Your father will not approve us," she said. Legolas was too far from her to hear her. "Not one of me. Take care Legolas son of King Thranduil. Let the stars shine upon your journey, on your path." She tightened her hold on the crystal in her hand. She looked up at the sky. "Until our next meeting."


	5. Hope

**The little paragraph that is marked in **_italic_** are flashbacks, it might be some of them. **

**But **_italic_ **sentences are Elven, as I assume everyone knows. :)**

**Chapter 5**

Hope

…

Legolas sat on his bed in his own home in the Woodland Realm. He looked down on his left arm, he had rolled his sleeve up and there he saw a star. Very much like the markings on Élchalad body. He frowned thinking of when it got there, it wasn´t there when he returned home from the North. He heard his father knock on the door and told him to come him. He rolled the sleeve down, not letting anyone see it.

"_Ada,"_ Legolas said on Elven. _"Everything all well?"_

"_It depends, for I was going to ask you that,"_ King Thranduil said.

"_What do you mean?"_ Legolas asked. Thranduil looked around in the room, he still haven´t unpacked from his strange journey.

"_You´re not the same son that left home few months ago. The sons of Elrond told me they lost you up North."_ Thranduil looked at his son, trying to read his mind. It was true. It seemed Legolas had lost his spirit, but when he first smiled he smiled like never before. King Thranduil wasn´t sure of what happened to him was good or bad.

Legolas smiled and looked up at his father. _"I am all well, ada. It is nothing to worry about. I will return to my duty."_ He stood up to leave, but Thranduil took his hand on Legolas´s chest.

"_Legolas…"_

"_Ada, I would like to return to my duty. Or do you want me to become a lazy spoiled prince?"_ He asked with a smile on his face. Thranduil chuckled and let him go.

The days for Legolas turned slowly and painfully to night, as he did his duty for his father, his king. It only went few weeks till he returned to Imladris. His father thought it was because of duty he sent him on and to see the twin brothers again. But truly Legolas only went to Imladris to keep his promise.

After two months he stood under the tree, looking north for any sign of her. First he leaned on the tree, waiting for Élchalad to show up. Days before he left Imladris he asked Elladan and Elrohir if they knew of any Orcs that went north. He had hoped everything worked well and that no Orcs had managed to get to Élchalad homeland.

Minutes went to hours and when the sun shone for the last time that day Legolas got worried. Why haven´t she showed up? Maybe she is just late. It´s only gone a day, she will come. Élchalad will come… Right?

Days turned into weeks and Legolas saw no sign of Élchalad. Just the day after he knew something was wrong. He could feel it. And now that feeling was stronger. He took up the crystal from his pocket. It was still shining as usual and he took it up towards the sky. He looked north and saw no stars. He looked through it towards northwest and no sign of stars. Nothing towards west, south or east.

Something is wrong. Legolas can´t try go to her, for he knew he wouldn´t survive her land. It could have gone wrong even with her. What was he going to do now? He looked up at the blue sky. "What do I do?" He asked the stars. He had never seen stars in the daylight, but for her he believed he could see the signs. "Where do I go?"

He saw something blink in the sky, a star, towards east. "Home?" Legolas asked. "No… Not without Élchalad." The star shone brighter. "I- I can´t… Élchalad…" He whispered. He looked down on the ground, feeling completely defeated. He then looked up at the star. "Do I go home then?" The star agreed. "Is that the best?"

He knew it deep inside it was. He rolled up his left sleeve and saw the star marked better. "I love you Élchalad and I am not giving you up. I will find you."

* * *

"_How about we stay here forever?" Élchalad asked him. Legolas smiled and took a hand through her long blond hair. "Of course we´re going to have to go up to the surface and get supplies." Legolas chuckled and kissed her shoulder. "If it weren´t for my people." They looked at each other. _

"_You are the most beautiful woman I´ve ever laid my eyes upon," he said. Élchalad chuckled._

"_Oh please…"_

"_What?"_

"_I am not, you´re just saying that for woman likes to hear stuff like that." Legolas smiled and kissed her lips. _

"_You´re amazing," he said. _

* * *

Legolas dismounted his white horse while the horse slowed down. He looked around here in Imladris. Lady Arwen Undómiel almost ran down the steps to him and embraced the Prince. "Legolas," she said smiling.

"You´ve returned from Lothlorien," Legolas said surprised.

"Yes, only for a visit," Lady Undómiel said. "I feel like I am not ready yet, but it was worth trying. I thought you were leaving for Greenwood." They both walked up to the House of Elrond.

"I was, but I have some unanswered questions." Arwen looked at him worried. Legolas had not been smiling coming here.

"Are you all well, mellon-nin?" She asked. "My father and my brothers are not here, they will arrive later today."

"I do not wish to speak to them, Arwen," he said. "But maybe you can help me." They stopped and turned to each other. "There is an Elven race that lives North-west of here. Do you have any books about them?" Arwen frowned.

"I´ve heard they are a dangerous race, Legolas," she said and took him into the library. "My father have never told me anything, but Glorfindel and Erestor have." She looked at the books to try finding the information. "You met them up there, didn´t you?" She looked at him.

Legolas met her eyes. His eyes looked guilty. "No one can know, Arwen. We´re like two different races, we´re all Elves, it shouldn´t be like that."

"What happened up there? We are all worried about you. You´ve changed and not for the better." She took forth a book and gave it to the Prince. He looked at it, looked through few pages.

"Thank you," he said and turned. Arwen took his arm and looked into his eyes.

"Tell me, Legolas. I will not tell my father, it will be hard to keep it from my brothers. But my father or anyone else will not know," she said. "You have my word." Legolas took a deep breath and nodded. She let him to a safe place to talk and he told her everything.

…

It went silence after Legolas told her everything. Arwen was remained silent during the whole time, only nodding every once in a while. Arwen understood more now. "My grandmother told me I had to meet you here. You cannot continue finding her."

"What do you mean? I am not giving her up," Legolas said. "I will find her, one way or another."

"My grandmother told me that you will not find her, for you will go in your own death and you´re not ready yet to leave. But there is still hope." She touched his cheek to he could look at her. "Do not give up hope, there is always hope."


	6. Cold as ice

**Chapter 6**

Cold as ice

…

Legolas walked towards the throne where his father sat talking to two Elven guards. He waited for them to finish, which only was two minutes. The Elven Prince did not step up the steps or any closer. "_Why have you talked to Captain Tauriel about me?"_ Legolas asked the King on Elven tongue.

"_Who says I have?"_ The King asked.

"_No one, but I know Tauriel. Why are you talking about me?" _

"_Because the whole Kingdom is worried… For you. You and Tauriel are close. I was hoping she might… Open your heart a little, in a friendly way of course,"_ Thranduil said.

"Open my heart?" Legolas asked and stepped closer to the throne. "For hundreds of years ago you did not want me to feel anything for Tauriel."

"And I still don´t," Thranduil said. They looked at each, having a starring competition. "You won´t or never going to feel anything for the Captain. But that doesn´t mean you can close your heart completely. I see it on you, son." The King stood up and walked down from the throne to Legolas while he talked. "You never relax, you´re reckless, going way too south than I have ordered. You don´t laugh or smile, I worry that you´re going to get yourself killed every time you go off in the forest, I don´t usually worry about that." Legolas sighed and looked away.

"Captain Tauriel is a friend and always will be," Legolas said. "I will never feel anything for her, you don´t have to worry about that."

"I am not so sure about her part," the King said.

"Then I will tell it to her, my heart belongs to someone else," Legolas said.

"Who? I have not seen you with a female Elf since you returned from the North, unless you two are good at hiding." Legolas thought of Élchalad and smiled. Thranduil saw that he was thinking of the woman. "_Who is she son? And what has she done that have closed your heart?"_

"_She has not done anything, ada. There is a chance I might not see her again, but I do fear she is danger. I feel it in my heart that she is, but there is nothing I can do to help her."_ Thranduil placed his hand on his son´s shoulder.

"_If she is in danger, is it anything I can do?"_ Thranduil asked.

"_No, she is too far away and I fear you might not want her near me."_ Thranduil tried to read his mind; he opened up his connection to his son, the family bound. Them both had pretty much closed that connection when their mother died and even Thranduil had tried to open it when Legolas returned from the North, it never worked. For it was something that prevents him to do so, something cold, but not dark.

"_Who is she, Legolas?"_ Thranduil asked. His voice turned to from father to King. He desperately wanted to know. _"Is she in Imladris?"_

"_No. If I had feelings for Tauriel, you will never want me to be with her. Even she is the Captain. The woman I love is not a Captain or noble, but if you knew what she could do…"_ Legolas stopped talking. _"I will return to my post."_ Thranduil let him go and he sat down on his throne again. Thinking of what his son had just said.

"_You worry for your son,"_ a voice appeared in the King´s mind.

"_Of course I do, Lady Galadriel, he is my son,"_ the King thought back. _"I understand you received my letter."_ He could feel her smile.

"_Yes I did, Thranduil. I do believe I could read your desperation between the lines."_ Thranduil rolled his eyes.

"_I want you to read Legolas´s mind, something is blocking the family connection."_ Lady Galadriel frowned.

"_There is nothing that can block that, it is too powerful. Family love goes higher than anything. When you introduced me to your wife, you told me to not read her mind or your son´s,"_ the Lady said.

"_That is long time ago, but I want you to do it now. I might have a clue of what is wrong with the bound, he has found a girl and he told me he will not see her again."_ It went silence. _"That is what he fears."_

"_Having your heart broken is not the reason with the family connection, Thranduil."_

"_I know, but it has never been the same since his mother passed away. Now I am trying to reopen it and it feels so cold, ice cold."_ Thranduil could feel Lady Galadriel was thinking.

"_You´re right,"_ the Lady said a little surprised. _"I can´t read his mind without him knowing it, for it is something strong blocking it and I do believe it has something to do with his heart. His heart is frozen."_

"_But who? He has been a lot in Imladris since returning from the North, but I thought it was only because he was visiting the children of Elrond,"_ Thranduil said.

"_You don´t know?"_ Lady Galadriel asked.

"_Not knowing what?"_

"_He only stays in Imladris for few days before he´s going off in the Wild. If Elrond or his sons is not there, he doesn´t even wait for them to return before he rides off."_

"_And where is he going?"_ Thranduil asked. _"Where in the world will he be going? Didn´t Elrond adopts a Dunedain? The heir of Isildur? Is he out on Orc hunt with him?"_

"_Elrond did yes, his mother passed away when he was twenty, and no, Estel only goes off with Elrond or his sons," _the Lady said.

"What is going on with my son?" Thranduil asked loudly. He stood up and paced back and forth. "If he´s not going on Orc hunt or to any of the Elven realms, or if he´s not with the Dunedains up North…" He stopped talking.

"_You think he´s going up North again?"_ Lady Galadriel asked inside his head. _"You think he has found Them. He can´t be. The Elves of the Stars hide in the snow, they won´t let anyone enter their lands alive, no matter if you´re royal or not."_

"_What other explanation could it be?"_ Thranduil asked the Lady. _"For three hundred years my son has gone up North to visit that girl. Her leaders killed my father and turned my son´s heart into ice." _Thranduil looked up when he heard a guard approaching the throne.

"_My King,"_ the guard said on Elven tongue. _"Gollum has escaped."_

xXx

**Authors Note: I have never really given much timeline of when Legolas met Élchalad, for I myself was never sure. But as Thranduil said. Legolas have gone up North for three hundred years, which means its three hundred years since they met and now we´re rounding up to the timeline of Lord of the Rings.**


	7. Daughter?

**Chapter 7**

Daughter?

…

Six Elves from Mirkwood rode fast through the Wildness, stopping to camp or to take another route. The day turned slowly to night and they feared it would rain tonight. It was a good chance it will rain. They all stopped after travelling through the Misty Mountains. They looked up on a hill and there they saw a single rider, a woman.

Legolas tried to look at the woman better. But he could not see her face. The woman reminded him of her. He frowned, it couldn´t be her. She seemed different this woman. They continued to ride down a narrow path.

On the top of the hill the woman looked down at the riders. She chuckled. Her long thick blond hair went down her back. She knew where those passages went, right into a handful of Orcs. "Stupid wood-Elves," the woman said. She was about to continue riding when something popped up in her mind. She looked back at where they disappeared.

They were wood-Elves. She shook her head and continues to ride towards the Last Homely House east of the sea. Few hours later the woman entered Rivendell and there two Elven guards met her. They knew where she came from. _"I wish to speak to Lord Elrond,"_ the woman said on Elven tongue.

The two guards looked at each other and the one to the right left to get him. The other stood there and looked at her. The blond thick hair, the bright blue eyes and the green warrior clothing. What stood out was a faint mark on her chest that he saw it could be more of under her clothes. Her skin was paler than Elves he has met.

"How long are you planning on starring at me?" The she Elf asked. The woman jumped off her white horse.

"Forgive me, milady," the guard said. "I have never met one of you." She frowned.

"We are all Elves," she said. "It´s just another realm north in the snow just like Lothlorien and Mirkwood."

"But none of us are a kingslayer," the guard said. The woman looked at her horse, pretended not to hear it. She hated that no one really knew the truth about it. It was the entire Dark Lord´s fault, not their own. The woman turned when hearing someone coming.

Lord Elrond came walking down the stairs to her. "Welcome to Rivendell, I am Lord Elrond," he said.

"Lord Elrond," she said and bowed her head. "Thank you for not telling me to leave right away." Lord Elrond smiled. "I came here for help. To hope for an alliance between us." The woman was nervous; she hoped he would not show her the door. She took a better hold on the reins till her knuckles turned white and also a small part of the reins.

"Come, let us talk inside," Lord Elrond said. "Are you hungry?"

"No, but thank you. I really do appreciate you´re taking me in," she said. "I am Elena."

…

Arwen Undómiel tried not to smile so widely, as she walked through the halls. She stopped before one door and knocked on it three times. The door opened and Legolas stood there. "Arwen? Everything all well?" Legolas asked. He had a frown upon his face; he always had a frown upon his face.

"Come with me," Arwen said and took his hand. "Everything is all well, actually everything is more than all right. Don´t ask."

"I don´t-"

"Be quiet," Arwen said. "Trust me." She led him to the library. Legolas looked around in the empty room. Arwen closed the door after him. He saw that all the doors were closed and it was only the windows opened. "You have a frozen heart, Legolas. Everyone has seen it for years now." Legolas did not answer. "How do we melt that frozen heart?" She asked. He thought of this, not answering right away.

"My heart will never fully melt, not one can melt my heart," Legolas answered. She smiled friendly to him, knowing he was wrong.

"That my dear friend, I think you´re wrong." He was about to turn to Arwen again to ask what was going on when he noticed a white figure.

Legolas looked upon the woman before him. Everything stood still for him, the world and time. The woman before him was the one who arrived earlier. She looked exactly like her. Legolas thought she might be Élchalad, but she looked different some how. Her eyes were bluer and her markings on the arms and chest was different. She had a white dress on and she looked a little nervous, but still shocked as the Prince.

Arwen approached the young woman and took her hand to lead her forward to Legolas. "I should let you both introduce yourselves but you´re both looking frozen," Arwen said. "Elena, this is Legolas son of King Thranduil." Elena looked at Arwen. Arwen thought she looked a little pale, dangerously pale. "Legolas, this is Elena daughter of Élchalad."

"Daughter of Élchalad?" Legolas asked. "I did not know she had- Or a…" Legolas was shocked. Elena stepped forward. Legolas could see so much of Élchalad in her.

"I have never met my father," she said when she finally got her voice forth. "Because I was told he is the Prince of the Woodland Realm." Legolas looked on her from looking at the floor.

"You are my daughter?" Legolas asked. Elena turned to a table and picked up a book and opened it. She gave it to Legolas.

"My mother wrote in this book about you, she was drawing you. It was my aunt who gave it to me, no one else know," Elena said. Elena looked at Arwen, but she was already gone. Leaving the two of them some privacy. "She wanted to leave you know, she wanted to leave with me to you." Legolas looked up from the book and saw the sad look on her face. "But I heard she died giving birth to me."


	8. The truth

**Review: To the Guest review, I have no idea what you wrote to me, could you take that on English? But I do appreciate you read it and took the time to review.**

**Chapter 8**

The truth

…

Elena looked at Legolas. They were still in the library, but now they were sitting around a table. "She is dead?" Legolas asked. He was about to break down in tears. Elena took the book her mother wrote and opened up a page.

"I came here to find you and to speak to Lord Elrond. I want an alliance between us for I fear They, our leaders, are with Sauron." Legolas looked at her. "For what they are doing has nothing to do with the people. The people don´t even know what is going on and I think my mother found out about it."

Legolas looked at the page. "My aunt thinks that the only reason I am alive is because They know about you and my mother… And for my power."

"You have it too?" Legolas asked. Elena nodded. "Your grandmother did not have it, or grandfather."

"I know, I don´t know why I have it, but I do," she said. She stood up and walked to a window. "I heard a threat is rising in the east, so I want to help... It has been three hundred years, how did you survive for so long not knowing about mother?" She asked him. Legolas approached her.

"I don´t know, it must be the thought of her," he said. "She would never forgive me if I faded away. I would never hear the end of it if I did." They both smiled knowing Élchalad. Élchalad´s sister had told Elena everything about Élchalad.

"I am sorry I never came before, but I was afraid." Shockingly for Elena he took her in his arms. Elena did not take her arms around him, to return the hug. But she liked it. She felt Legolas sighed and they separated. "Something wrong?"

"Yes, something is very wrong," the prince said. He turned his head to the door. The door was a little open and in came two identically twins and Arwen after.

"I am sorry, but you know how stupid my brothers are," Arwen said. Elena looked at the twins.

"Stupid?" Elladan said. "Now, now sister. I just think it is fair to know if it is true. We are the one who had to put up with the princeling over here." Elena looked confused at Legolas. "Lady Elena, I am Elladan."

"And I am Elrohir," the other said. "You should have seen him like a year after he returned from the north." Legolas sighed and wished them two could get lost somewhere.

"You two don´t need to make it worse," Arwen said.

"I don´t understand," Elena said. She looked at them all four. The children of Lord Elrond waited for Legolas to explain, but he did not.

"If you see, after not hearing anything from your mother, your father," Arwen said. "Became unsocial, unfriendly." Elena looked at Legolas. Arwen looked at them both with a smile. Elena and Legolas had the same eyes; she also took a notice of how they stood the same.

"Unfriendly?" Legolas asked.

"Very," Elrohir said. Elena chuckled. "But please forgive us for interrupt father and daughter moment, and we´re sorry for both of your loss. After hearing what Arwen told us, we wished to meet your mother and that all three of you could be together." Elena only smiled weakly.

…

Elena was on the balcony to her room. The night had fallen upon them and the full moon was shining high on the sky. She had finally met her father and she had a conversation with Lord Elrond. What she was going to do is now done. Lord Elrond will seek to have an alliance between them. Elena also told him about the problem of her Lord and Lady. She of course said her people had nothing to do with it. She only hoped it won´t be a war between the Elves.

Lord Elrond said it was very unlikely. The Elves are leaving Middle-earth, at least the Elves of Imladris and Lothlorien. The wood-elves will have enough problems with Orcs than go to war against her people.

Someone caught her eye and she looked down to the gardens. There she saw an Elf with long golden hair. By his clothes she could see he was from here. He smiled a little to her and she smiled back. She turned to walk back in and shook her head. She was here to find her father and Lord Elrond, not finding love.


	9. Sacrifice

**Chapter 9**

Sacrifice

…

Elena tossed back and forth in her sleep. Nightmares were plaguing her mind. Elena woke up, slightly confused of where she was. For everything was completely white of her powers. She then remembered she was in Rivendell. Her lips curled up by the thought of it. Two knocks came on the door.

"_Lady Elena?"_ It was the voice of a handmaiden. Elena swore inside her and stood up. How was she supposed to get the ice away? It was everything, floor, roof and walls. She then took a deep breath and thought of the happy times, the love.

The thought of Legolas, her father, showed up and the ice went away. She took a deep breath and told the maiden to come in. It was early she woke up, for the Council of Elrond was starting early. After breakfast she began walking towards the library, where the meeting will hold.

"Lady Elena," a voice said and she turned. Seeing a man walk fast over to her. "My lady. I hear that you´re Legolas´s daughter." Elena did not smile.

"Where have you heard that?" She asked.

"Legolas," the man said. They both smiled. "I am Estel." She frowned.

"Hope?" Estel nodded. He gestured for her to keep walking towards the library. "I assume you have been living with Elves for quite some time."

"I have indeed," he said. "I am a good friend of Legolas, he´s actually one of my closest." They got up to a balcony where there stood chairs in a circle and the people were talking among each other. Elena looked at the men that were gathered here. Men from Gondor, Dwarves and Elves from Greenwood. Dwarves looked sceptical at her. Elena did not hide away her markings on her skin. The markings were shown on her arms and a little on her chest close to her neck.

She was seated next to Legolas on the Elven part of the circle. It was two men sitting between the Elves and Men, to hinder them fight before the council has even started. Lord Elrond came in with two Elves Elena did not know, one she had seen last night in the garden. The golden head Elf gave her a small smile and a bow.

Lord Elrond did not sit down on his own chair, he looked at them all, and seeing them all was here. "Strangers from distant lands, friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor," the Lord said. "Middle-earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall." Lord Elrond looked at Elena. "Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom." The Elven lord looked at a man on the edge of the circle and gestured to the pedestal in the middle of the circle. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

A short and young man stood up from his seat. Elena frowned, Hobbits? The man, Frodo, placed a golden ring on the pedestal. Elena took a deep breath, and taking a hold on the chair.

"The doom of Man," someone whispered.

"Isildur´s Bane," another whispered. It has been few years since Elena have felt something like this, the evil of the Ring. It got clear to her then, her own leaders have returned to Sauron. She could feel it, the same feeling she had when being near them. She broke away from the Ring and looked at the man that had stood up and spoke.

"In a dream… I saw the eastern sky grow dark, but in the West a pale light lingered. A voice was crying, your doom is near at hand." For every sentence he took a step closer to the Ring. "Isildur´s Bane has been found. Isildur´s Bane…" He whispered.

"Boromir!" Lord Elrond yelled when he saw the man from Gondor was going for the Ring. The light faded and the balcony was overcome by darkness. Elena could hear the Ring speak, the dark tongue, the tongue of Mordor. She closed her eyes, shutting it out by thinking of something nice and a small help of her powers.

Gandalf stood up, speaking on the black speech, dimming the darkness and returning the light. Elena looked at the man, Boromir; he had sat down again on his chair. He just tried to take the Ring, and she guessed he would try again.

"Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris!" Lord Elrond said to Gandalf.

"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond," Gandalf said. "For the black speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West!" The wizard turned towards the men. "The Ring is altogether evil!"

"It is a gift," Boromir said. "A gift to the foes of Mordor." He stood up and looked at them all. Gandalf had sat down heavy. "Why not use this Ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe!" He pointed at some of them.

_Safe?_ Elena thought. No one was safe.

"Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!" Boromir suggested. _So this is what the Steward want?_ Elena thought. _To bring the Ring to Gondor._

"You cannot wield it! None of us can," Estel said. Boromir had turned to the man. "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."

"And what would a ranger know of this matter?" Boromir asked. Legolas stood up next to Elena.

"This is no mere ranger. He´s Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance," Elena´s father said. Elena frowned. Arathorn?

"Aragorn? This is Isildur´s Heir?" Boromir asked. Elena looked at Estel surprised.

"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas said. Aragorn told Legolas kindly to sit down again, not wanting the attention, Elena saw that. Boromir returned to his seat.

"Gondor has no king," the man said. "Gondor needs no king."

"Aragorn is right, we cannot use it," Gandalf said. Elena looked back at the Ring. She wanted to get away from there, away from the Ring. Something moved in the corner of her eye and she looked on a Dwarf, grabbing his axe and tries to destroy the Ring. Elena would want to chuckled, as for Legolas. It is of course harder to destroy something so powerful.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess," Lord Elrond said. "The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom, only there it can be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast it back into the fiery chasm from whence it came." The Lord looked at them all. "One of you must do this." It went silence, no one spoke.

"One does not simply walk into Mordor," Boromir said. "Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. The great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddle with fire, ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly." Legolas stood up.

"Have you heard nothing of what Lord Elrond has said?" Legolas asked. "The Ring must be destroyed!"

"And I suppose you think you´re the one to do it!" Gimli said.

"And if we fail," Boromir said and stood up too. "What then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"

"It will happen anyway if we don´t destroy it," Elena said. "Either we destroy it, or we fall under his will. There are only two choices!"

"What would a woman know of this?" Boromir hissed. Legolas was about to shout back at him, but got distracted by Gimli.

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" Gimli yelled. All the Elves, Men and Dwarves stood up, shouting at each other. It was only Aragorn, Frodo and Lord Elrond who sat on their seat, Gandalf joined in the fight.

"I know a lot more than you do," Elena said to Boromir. "We should not stand here and fight." She agreed with Gandalf when he joined the fight.

"I will take it," a small voice said. "I will take it!" It got louder and they all stopped fighting and looked at the Hobbit. "I will take the Ring to Mordor." Frodo stood there and looking up at them. "Though I do not know the way." Elena looked at him with wide eyes, so small person would dare to wear it. She wouldn´t, not in a million years.

Gandalf walked closer to Frodo, touching his shoulder. "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear." _They are going to need help._ Elena thought. She stepped forward.

"I will help you in any way I can, Master Baggins, my knowledge and power," Elena said and placed herself next to Gandalf. Gandalf gave her a small smile.

Aragorn stood up on his feet. "If by my life or death, I can protect you, I will." Aragorn kneeled down before the Hobbit. "You have my sword."

"And you have my bow," Legolas said and stood next to his daughter.

"And my axe," Gimli said. Elena and Legolas sighed.

"You carry the fate of us all little one," Boromir said and approached them. "If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done."

"Hey!" A voice behind them said and forth came a Hobbit and stood next to Frodo. "Mr. Frodo is not going anywhere without me!" He stated.

"No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret Council and you´re not," Lord Elrond said. From the entrance two other Hobbits ran over to them.

"We are coming too," one of them said. "You´d have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us."

"Anyway you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission… Quest… Thing," the other said.

"Well that rules you out, pip," the first one said. Elena smiled.

"Ten companions," Lord Elrond said. "So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

"Great! Where are we going?" Pippin asked. Elena looked down on him and raised her eyebrows.

"Having a woman in this company is not wise," Boromir said. "No offend my lady, but this is for men, they who can fight."

"_I do not agree with him, but I do want you to stay behind,"_ Legolas said on Elven tongue to her. She shot them both a deadly glare.

"What weapons do you have, Boromir son of Gondor?" Elena asked. "Except a sword."

"She can offer a lot more than any of you can," Gandalf said. "She is special and it has already been decided."

…

"You can still change your mind," Legolas said to Elena. "I do not want you to go on this quest." She turned to him and looked at him as if she did not know him.

"Because I am your daughter?" She laughed. "I mean no disrespect, _father,_ but you have been my father for no more than two days. Of what I want to do is no concern of yours. If I so want to sacrifice my life for Frodo, then so be it. This is the one chance for us to get rid of evil once and for all. Frodo will need all the help he can get." Elena did not take her eyes of Legolas. The discussion was over when Elena left the library, leaving Legolas alone.


	10. Left or right?

**Chapter 10**

Left or right

…

Elena was swinging her sword; imagine she was slicing Orcs and Warg. She was so distracted she did not hear the golden haired Elf approaching her. The one that was in the Council and him Elena saw in the garden. She turned, hitting her sword towards his. She looked surprised at first.

"You fight very graceful," he commented.

"Sword is not my best weapon," Elena said. "But I have to practice with it."

"Then what is?" He asked.

"Bow," she answered. She would say her powers, but she didn´t want everyone to know. They both dropped their swords to the ground.

"Mind if I spare with you?" He asked. She was even now more surprised. He wants to spare with her? She nodded and they took their positions. Up on the balcony the four Hobbits and Gimli had gathered and watched the sparing between the Elven lord and their companion.

"It´s like dancing," Pippin said.

"Just wait till you see an army of five hundred Dwarves," Gimli said. "That is nothing compared to them." He noted to the pair down on the green grass. They looked back at the two Elves and saw Elena falling on her back with the lord´s pointy sword towards her neck, standing over her.

Elena had a frown on her face, not liking one bit she was defeat. But it soon faded and she laughed. The lord helped her up on two feet and the Hobbits saw their faces were so close now. Elena looked shyly away. The Hobbits looked at each other and laughed, knowing the face of Elena.

"Thank you," Elena said to the Elf. "For helping me, commenting on my work." The Elf lord bowed his head. Elena took the time to study the Elf before her. His hair was shining gold in the sunlight, his face fair and handsome, but yet young. She saw it in his eyes of wisdom and his strength that he has seen many years on this earth.

Without further talk they both walked from the training fields. "I am Elena, daughter of Élchalad," she introduced herself.

"Élchalad? I must say I do not know your mother´s name," the Elf said.

"I don´t think no one does," Elena replied. She was then concerned he might not like her if she told she was from the north. "I am from the north, the Elves of the Stars."

"I know," the Elf said. He smiled to her, not wanting her to be sad. "Rumours have spread that a beautiful lady from the north is here." She looked at him, into his blue eyes. "I hope I did not cross the line."

"No, you did not," she said. "May I ask what else the rumour say?"

"Nothing else. I have not introduced myself. I am Glorfindel."

…

Elena looked at herself in the mirror. Lord Elrond had given her clothes for her journey. The clothes she arrived with were worn out for weeks of journey to Rivendell. It used to be her warrior clothes; she did not have much time to repair them as they were always attacked.

She wore green light clothes, pants and tunics. She had her sword in her belt and quiver of arrows on her back and bow around her shoulder. Three knocks came on the door and it opened. Legolas stood on the other said. "You look very much like your mother," he said. Elena smiled.

"Yes, you´ve said that already," Elena said and turned to him. She picked up the bag from the bed and walked with Legolas to the gate. "I am sorry I yelled at you after the meeting. I am used to do what I want. Used to not have a father."

"It´s quite all right, I should apologize too. A daughter was the last I expected having," he said. "I hope you will forgive me for my actions in the future. I think we both have something to learn by each other, as we´re both new to this." Elena smiled to him and nodded. They reached the gate where three of the Hobbits, Gimli and Boromir waited with their pony Bill that arrived with the Hobbits and Aragorn few days before.

"I could not help notice," Boromir said. "Are you two related?" He asked Elena and Legolas. "I have not seen many Elves in my life and some do look very alike."

"It is true," Elena said friendly. Hoping that Boromir had set aside his feelings for her being here. "I am Legolas daughter." Legolas looked at her when she said it, she said it with much pride in her voice. Aragorn and Frodo joined with them after few minutes and Elves were gathered to wish them good luck.

Lord Elrond gave them blessings. They were about to leave when Elena noticed Glorfindel. He was not standing with the others, rather further away alone. He smiled and bowed to her. She smiled too, bowing her head with her hand over her heart. She followed the fellowship out with Aragorn behind her.

"Mordor, Gandalf, is it left or right?" Frodo asked in a low voice to the wizard. Elena smiled when she heard it.

"Left."

xXx

**This is a extremely short chapter, and for that I am sorry you had to wait so long for this short one. Next one will be longer, and thank you everyone for reading. **


	11. Signs from the Stars

**Chapter 11**

Signs from the stars

…

A single rider rode through the forest of Lothlorien. The rider had a cloak on, the hood covered the face and the rider was bend over. The rider was hurt. It trusted the horse to guide the rider to safety and so it did.

Not long after the rider and the horse entered the Golden Woods, Elves stepped out from the shadows of the trees. The horse knew they wish no harm and approached them carefully.

Haldir, the marchwarden, took his hand forth to the horse, calming it little and the horse let him pet her. Haldir looked worried over at the rider. It showed no sign of movement and Haldir took the hood down. Revealing a golden haired woman. Blood was dripping down from her head and she fell down from the horse and into the safety of the Elven arms.

Haldir saw right away she was an Elf. The she Elf moaned a little and opened her eyes. Seeing only the top of the trees and a blue sky before the darkness took her. _"She will manage,"_ another she Elf said next to Haldir. She checked her wound. _"It´s a deep cut, but I´ve seen deeper."_ She spoke on the Elven tongue. Haldir looked at the healer and nodded before taking her up to the platforms.

"_Take her to me, Haldir,"_ Lady Galadriel said in his mind. _"I need to speak to her as soon as she wakes up."_

"_My lady?"_ Haldir questioned.

"_I fear she might have set in motions she should not have done, like her niece"_ Lady Galadriel said. _"She is from the north."_ Haldir looked at the woman that was resting in his arms. Lady Galadriel smiled. _"She will not harm anyone, Haldir, she is quite safe."_

…

"_How is she?"_ Lady Galadriel asked the young maiden.

"_She was a little confused at first, but she is fine, my lady,"_ she answered. _"Lord Haldir is bringing with her shortly."_ The young maiden was bringing food on the table for the Lady and the newcomer.

"_Haldir,"_ Lady Galadriel said. Haldir stood in the entrance with the Elf who arrived the day before. The lady stood up and approached them both. Haldir bowed and left, taking one look back at the she Elf.

"_My lady Galadriel,"_ she said and bowed deeply. The Lady looked at the maidens that were there and they all left.

"Come, you must be hungry," Lady Galadriel said and sat down around a round table filled with food. She did as she was told and sat down. "Are you feeling well?"

"Yes, thank you for your concern. I have been through worse," she said. "My name is Calenel and I am very grateful that you do not cast me aside for being who I am." The Lady smiled.

"You´re an Elf, very much like me," Lady Galadriel said. "Why did you come here?" She asked.

"I wanted to find my sister´s daughter, but Orcs drove me to close to the Misty Mountain. So I had no choice but to seek for Lorien," Calenel said. "My sister is Élchalad, she got a child with Prince Legolas of the Woodland Realm." It made more sense now for Lady Galadriel. "Elena, my niece, rode to Rivendell. I haven´t heard anything and I am worried."

"Elena is quite fine," the Lady said. "But she is no longer in Rivendell. She travels with nine men on a secret Quest. She is brave for doing so, for the quest might take her life." Calenel nodded and sighed heavily.

"I hoped she would return back home, for we need her. Orcs have found a way in to our land, and I know it is our leaders fault," Calenel said.

"Elena said it to Elrond of Rivendell." Calenel nodded. Thankful she did. She looked at the Lady worried. "But you do have nothing to worry about. The actions of your people are not their fault. Elrond and I have decided to help your people, but we´re not sure when. We have our own wars to fight." Calenel nodded, she understood that. "Let´s talk about something else, let us eat and enjoy."

…

Elena returned to the camp with hands full of wood for the fire. She looked towards north and up on the sky. She could see the stars, even it was still light. Something was wrong. The stars to the east warned her and the stars to the north asked for her help. Elena looked back at the camp. The Hobbits were talking and laughing, Legolas was checking the area around, and Sam took up food to cook it.

"Lass," Gimli said. "Are you going to stand there all day?" He asked. The Dwarf approached her. Elena only shook her head when Gimli took the wood. Gimli frowned and looked at her and walked back to camp to get the fire going. Legolas saw it and walked up to her.

"Elena?" She looked at him. "Is it something wrong?"

"No, I am fine," she said and went to walk pass him. He grabbed her arm carefully.

"Elena…" She looked back at him. He wanted to know, he was worried and she guessed he had right to know.

"The stars are warning me of going east and they are asking for my help in the north," she whispered. Legolas looked at the others. "I am not going. I will stay here."

"Are you sure?" He asked. "It is your home." Elena smiled.

"Yes, don´t worry about it. They are on their own now." Elena walked back to the camp and helped Sam with the food. She handed a plate to Aragorn and sat down next to him on a rock. They both watched as Boromir taught the Hobbits too fight. Aragorn began smoking his pipe and Elena waved the smoke away from her face. "Gandalf said we will go south to the Gap of Rohan. Isn´t Rohan a little bit too risky, as Saruman is no longer on our side?"

"Maybe," Aragorn said. "But it is our best chance. It is risker to cross Misty Mountain; it is way too many Goblins there. We can still get pass Isengard without being seen." He looked at her and noticed she was worried. "Are you worried?" He asked. She smiled.

"Of course, how can I not be when we´re travelling to the dark lands?" They both smiled. "And from there across Rohan and Gondor?" She looked at Boromir as she said it. He was too preoccupied to hear her. Aragorn noticed her look and saying.

"It will be dangerous no matter where we go," Aragorn said. "I noticed you had markings on your arms." Elena looked down on her right arm and rolled up her sleeve a little. Revealing little of the markings. "I thought first they were scars." She smiled.

"I have them all over my body. I believe I have them because of my powers." Aragorn frowned and Elena only chuckled.

"Powers?"

"You will see by time," she said smiling. "There is no need to freeze yet in this nice and sunny weather."


	12. Trust

**Chapter 12**

Trust

…

Elena looked towards Gandalf and Boromir. They were talking and Boromir gave her quick looks before looking back at the wizard. Elena frowned but walked over to Legolas. He was standing on a rock and looking at where they were going. The sun had just risen and now they were packing to keep moving.

"_They are talking about you,"_ Legolas said on Elven tongue to her. Elena knew that, she heard them talking but didn´t care. _"Boromir doesn´t like where you´re from."_

"_Who does?"_ Elena asked. _"Do you see something we should know? You have been standing here for an hour now."_

"_I care where you´re from, but not the way Boromir does."_ Legolas did not say anything. Elena thought it was a little difficult getting a conversation with him. Aragorn told her it was because for three hundred years he never opened up. They both looked towards Gimli when he raised his voice.

"She is from where?" Gimli asked and looked at Elena. "And you let her come with?" He asked the wizard. Gandalf did not answer to that; only looking at Gimli and it made him growl.

"I agree with Gimli, I have heard tells of the Elves from the north," Boromir said.

"So?" Elena asked. "We all have something in common and that is we want Sauron dead. What the stories you´ve heard is true. We kill they who enter our land for they want to kill us to. But that was before, we have… Been kinder."

"Elena has right," Gandalf said. "There is a lot more than what meets the eye, she is powerful and have given her word to help. So I suggest you two to let it be. You don´t want to see her get angry." Gandalf smiled to her.

"What stories?" Pippin asked. Gandalf sighed and ignored him. Pippin looked at Elena.

"My people are a little different from other Elves," Elena said. "We are not very much welcome after what my leaders did." She looked at Boromir. "When they were under Sauron´s spell." Legolas saw her fist turn to ice, luckily no one else noticed so he stepped before her, touching the frozen hand.

"_Be careful if you don´t want them to know,"_ he said on Elven tongue. The ice melted away and she nodded. "Apologize to her," he said to Boromir. "She is my daughter and she is very much like every other Elf." Gimli looked at them both.

"Daughter?" Gimli asked. He turned to pick up his sack and muttered something on Dwarven tongue.

They continued walking the next days south. Elena looked up at the snowy mountains of Misty Mountain. She missed the snow; she loved the snow and wished they could travel over there. She turned when the Hobbits began singing songs from the Shire. Elena looked at the two Men and it seemed they had no mind they were singing. She didn´t either, but she wished they were all more quiet.

"I´m hungry," it came out of Pippin.

"You´re always hungry," Frodo said.

"No, I am not," Pippin said. "I don´t think I have ever walked so far without food."

"Here," Elena said and tossed him an apple.

"We should save the food, miss," Merry said. "Pip can manage."

"I can go hunt till evening, getting you all a deer or something," she said. By the look of them all it sounded very tempting. They did not stop at nightfall this time, few hours before sunset Elena ran out in the forest to find a deer. She took her hands down on the ground and let a thin line of ice come out of her hands and in every direction.

The ice was her eyes and she saw two deer to the north. She followed the trace and saw them eating the grass. She heard something behind her but ignored it for now. She picked up her knife and throws it towards the one deer and hit it in its side. She smiled at the victory. The other deer ran for its life, she didn´t care about that.

The deer was not dead and she kneeled down next to it. _"Forgive me,"_ she said on Elven tongue and killed it. She cleaned her knife and dragged the deer after her. When she got out of the forest she met with Boromir who carried it. "I can do it myself you know."

"I thought I should apologize, it doesn´t matter where we´re from right now. Like you said we all have something in common," Boromir said.

"Your apology is accepted," Elena said. "But you have right to worry, I know what you think of my people." They walked up the stony landscape; it made a perfect hideout with all the rocks. Aragorn was the one who skinned the deer and helped Sam cook the meat.

Elena joined Legolas on a rock. They stood in silence looking out before them. "Anything you need, my daughter?" Legolas asked. He had a small smile on his lips and he looked at her.

"A father who wants to talk?" She asked. "I want to know more about you. Like what is Greenwood like? What was the first thing you thought about my mother? What about your grandfather?" Legolas sighed and shook his head.

"You ask too many questions, and those questions will take me days to answer," Legolas said. "For I would never be available of stop talking about you mother." Elena smiled. "I have never talked about your mother for many years now, I am afraid she will fade from my memory. But now that I see you, I only see her." They both turned when they heard a cry. There they saw Merry and Pippin being taught to wield a sword. Elena saw that all the meet was packed away for later.

Both of them, Legolas and Elena, looked over to the sky when they both saw something coming in the sky. They walked fast over to another rock to get a better view. It looked like birds for them, but what birds will fly this way together? "What is that?" Sam asked the Elves.

"Nothing," Gimli assured him. "It´s just a wisp of cloud."

"It´s moving fast," Boromir said. Him, Merry, Pippin and Aragorn had stopped joking around and looked at what was coming to them. "Against the wind." It was Legolas who knew first what it was; Elena did not have that good eye as her father.

"Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas yelled. Legolas grabbed Elena´s arm and turned her around to hide her.

"Hide! Hurry!" Elena grabbed her pack and the others and took hiding under a bush. The others took hiding quickly of what they could find and not a minute later spies circled around over them. They were already spotted. As they flied away from them they all got forth.

"Spies of Saruman," Gandalf said. Legolas looked at Elena and saw she was safe. "The passage south is being watched. We must take the Pass of Caradhras." Gandalf and Legolas turned their looks up the snowy mountain. Elena followed their look and smiled. Elena turned and helped them all pack as quickly as they could.

The road up to the snowy part of the mountain was easy enough and they used half a day to have snow under their feat. But further up they got, the more snow they had to go through. Some parts Gandalf had to make way through the snow and by nightfall they all could walk easily on it.

They found shelter next to a rock for a wall. Elena looked up at the mountain and then turned to east. Legolas came next to her, wondering what she was scouting about. "We are lucky," she said. "No storm will find us tonight."

"Can you not help us with the snow?" He asked her. She smiled.

"Have you forgotten what my mother could do?" She asked. "It´s Ice, not snow. But I do can shield us all from the storm if it should be any." She turned to look at Boromir and Gimli. Legolas only saw her looking at Boromir.

"Do you like him? The man?" Legolas asked her. Her brows furrowed and she looked back at her father, as if he had two heads.

"No, he´s mortal," she said. "I would never fall for a mortal. But if Boromir and Gimli find out about my powers, they… Doubt me more than they do."

"Than they do, you´re only travelling with them to Mount Doom," Legolas said. Their voices had gone to whispers.

"You say it as it is nothing," Elena said. "I want them to trust me, I want you all to trust me. I am not some maiden that needs rescue, I can perfectly defend myself with or without ice." Legolas placed his hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"I know, Elena, I know," Legolas said. "If they can see what you can do, what good you can do. They will trust you, the rest of us do and so will them. I can always knock some sense in their heads if you want, especially the Dwarf." Elena laughed and the Fellowship looked at her.

"I think that is already too late."


End file.
